46.21(1m)(a)(a) The county executive shall appoint under ss. 63.01 to 63.17 a director of the county department of human services. The appointment shall be made on the basis of recognized and demonstrated public interest in and knowledge of the problems of human services, and with due regard to training, experience, executive and administrative ability and efficiency, and general qualifications and fitness for performing the duties of the office. The director shall file an official oath and bond in the amount determined by the county board of supervisors. The county board of supervisors may create a position of deputy director of the county department of human services. The director shall be appointed by the county executive in the unclassified civil service and is subject to confirmation by the county board of supervisors under s. 59.17 (2) (bm).

46.21(1m)(am)
(am) The county executive shall appoint under ss. 63.01 to 63.17 an administrator of the county hospital. The appointment shall be made on the basis of recognized and demonstrated public interest in and knowledge of the problems of delivery of medical care and treatment, and with due regard to training, experience, executive and administrative ability and efficiency, and general qualifications and fitness for performing the duties of the office. The administrator shall file an official oath and bond in the amount determined by the county board of supervisors. The county board of supervisors may create positions to assist the administrator. The administrator shall be appointed by the county executive in the unclassified civil service and the appointment is subject to confirmation by the county board of supervisors under s. 59.17 (2) (bm).

46.21(1m)(b)
(b) Provisions shall be made in the organization of the office of the director and in the office of the administrator for the devolution of the director's or administrator's authority in the case of his or her temporary absence, illness or other disability to act.

46.21(2)
(2)Powers and duties of the county board of supervisors. The county board of supervisors:

46.21(2)(a)
(a) Shall adopt policies for the management, operation, maintenance and improvement of the county hospital; the detention center; the probation section of the children's court center; the provision and maintenance of the physical facilities for the children's court and its intake section under the supervision and operation of the judges assigned to exercise jurisdiction under chs. 48 and 938 and as provided in ss. 48.06 (1) and 938.06 (1); the mental health complex; the county department of human services; the central service departments; and all buildings and land used in connection with any institution under this section. The powers and duties of the county board of supervisors are policy forming only, and not administrative or executive.

46.21(2)(b)
(b) May make such arrangements with the university of Wisconsin-Madison medical school or the medical college of Wisconsin, or any other duly accredited medical colleges and medical societies for teaching and research in such institutions as in its judgment will best promote the purpose of hospitals and sanatoriums under sub. (4m).

46.21(2)(e)
(e) May pay a reasonable fee and the actual travel expense of persons called into consultation by the county board of supervisors as to matters within the field of human services or health care delivery.

46.21(2)(i)
(i) May designate an amount as and appropriate funds for a work allowance to inmates at its institutions. The county board of supervisors shall prescribe the amount of such work allowance after the director determines reasonable hours and health and other conditions, as shall be observed in connection with the employment. Such employment is not within the provisions of ss. 63.01 to 63.17 nor is it subject to ch. 102. Work allowances or wages paid to inmates shall not be included as costs in arriving at the per capita rate for state aids or charges to other counties and the state for care of inmates.

46.21(2)(j)
(j) May exercise approval or disapproval power over contracts and purchases of the director that are for $50,000 or more, except that the county board of supervisors may not exercise approval or disapproval power over any personal service contract or over any contract or purchase of the director which relates to community living arrangements, adult family homes, foster homes or treatment foster homes and which was entered into pursuant to a contract under s. 46.031 (2g) or 301.031 (2g), regardless of whether the contract mentions the provider, except as provided in par. (m). This paragraph does not preclude the county board of supervisors from creating a central purchasing department for all county purchases.

46.21(2)(k)
(k) Shall make sufficient appropriation annually for the support, maintenance, salaries, repairs and improvements to the county department of human services and the institutions. The appropriations shall be used subject to the order of the director or administrator and as the policies adopted by the county board of supervisors provide. The director or administrator may not incur any expense or contract for new buildings, additions to present buildings or the purchase of land until the county board of supervisors has appropriated or provided for the money to defray such expense.

46.21(2)(L)
(L) May establish and maintain a public health and medical dispensary and conduct same as may be proper and necessary for the preservation of the public health and the prevention of disease in the county.

46.21(2)(m)
(m) May establish and maintain in connection with such county hospital, an emergency unit or department for the treatment, subject to such rules as may be prescribed by the county board of supervisors, of persons in the county who may meet with accidents or be suddenly afflicted with illness not contagious; provided that medical care and treatment shall only be furnished in such unit or department until such time as the patient may be safely removed to another hospital or to his or her place of abode, or regularly admitted to the county hospital. The county board of supervisors may also contract with any private hospital or nonprofit hospital within the county for the use of its facilities and for medical service to be furnished by a licensed physician or physicians to patients who require emergency medical treatment or first aid as a result of any accident, injury or sudden affliction of illness occurring within the county, except that reasonable compensation may only be authorized until the patient is regularly admitted as an inpatient or safely removed to another hospital or to his place of abode. In this paragraph, "hospital" includes, without limitation due to enumeration, public health centers, medical facilities and general, tuberculosis, mental, chronic disease and other types of hospitals and related facilities, such as laboratories, outpatient departments, nurses' home and training facilities, and central service facilities operated in connection with hospitals. In this paragraph, "hospital" does not include any hospital furnishing primarily domiciliary care. In this paragraph "nonprofit hospital" means any hospital owned and operated by a corporation or association, no part of the net earnings of which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.

46.21(2)(n)
(n) May establish and maintain, in connection with the institutions and departments under the control of the county board of supervisors, a training school for nurses, to purchase and take over all property, to assume all obligations and to conduct any training school now operated in connection with those institutions or departments.

46.21(2)(nm)
(nm) May, together with a nonstock, nonprofit corporation organized under ch. 181 solely for the purpose of operating duly accredited educational programs offering baccalaureate and associate degrees in nursing and allied health fields, maintain and fund the programs.

46.21(2)(o)
(o) May establish and maintain in connection with or separate from the county hospital a unit or department for the treatment, subject to the adopted policies of the county board of supervisors, of persons in the county who may be afflicted with contagious diseases.

46.21(2)(p)
(p) May, on such terms as it prescribes, make its land, buildings, facilities and supportive services available to organizations for the construction and operation of medical, hospital and health-related activities at the site of the institutions under this section.

46.21(2)(q)
(q) May, together with a private or public organization or affiliation, organize, establish and participate in the governance and operation of an entity to operate, wholly or in part, any health-related service, may participate in the financing of the entity and may provide administrative and financial services or resources for its operation on terms prescribed by the county board of supervisors.

46.21(2m)(a)(a)Creation. The management, operation, maintenance and improvement of human services in a county with a population of 500,000 or more is vested in a county department of human services under the jurisdiction, as to policy, of the county board of supervisors. The county department of human services shall consist of the director appointed under sub. (1m), any division administrator appointed under sub. (4) and necessary personnel appointed by the director or appointed by a division administrator and approved by the director.

46.21(2m)(b)1.1. The county board of supervisors may transfer the powers and duties of any human services program under the control of the county and shall transfer all of the following to the county department of human services:

46.21(2m)(b)1.a.
a. The powers and duties of the county departments under ss. 46.215, 51.42 and 51.437, including the administration of the long-term support community options program under s. 46.27, if the county department under s. 46.215 is designated as the administering agency under s. 46.27 (3) (b) 1.

46.21(2m)(b)1.b.
b. The administration of the long-term support community options program under s. 46.27, if the director is designated as the administering agent under s. 46.27 (3) (b) 4.

46.21(2m)(b)1.c.
c. The management, operation, maintenance and improvement of the county mental health complex under s. 51.08.

46.21(2m)(b)2.a.a. Any reference in any law to a county department under s. 46.215, 51.42 or 51.437 applies to the county department of human services under sub. (2m) in its administration of the powers and duties of the county department to which the reference is made.

46.21(2m)(b)2.c.
c. Any reference in any law to the county board appointed under s. 51.42 (4) (a) 2. or 51.437 (7) (a) 2. is limited, with respect to the county department of human services under this subsection, to the powers and duties of the county board to which the reference is made.

46.21(2m)(c)
(c)Exchange of information. Notwithstanding ss. 48.78 (2) (a), 49.45 (4), 49.83, 51.30, 51.45 (14) (a), 55.06 (17) (c), 146.82, 252.11 (7) and 253.07 (3) (c), any subunit of the county department of human services acting under this subsection may exchange confidential information about a client, without the informed consent of the client, with any other subunit of the same county department of human services or with any person providing services to the client under a purchase of services contract with the county department of human services, if necessary to enable an employe or service provider to perform his or her duties, or to enable the county department of human services to coordinate the delivery of services to the client.

46.21(2m)(d)
(d)Limitation. The powers and duties of the county department of human services under s. 46.23 do not apply to this section.

46.21(3)
(3)Powers and duties of the director. All of the administrative and executive powers and duties of managing, operating, maintaining and improving the county department of human services and other institutions and departments that the county board of supervisors may place under the jurisdiction of the director are vested in the director, subject to the policies and in accordance with the principles adopted by the county board of supervisors.

46.21(3g)
(3g)Powers and duties of the administrator. All of the administrative and executive powers and duties of managing, operating, maintaining and improving the county hospital and other institutions and departments that the county board of supervisors may place under the jurisdiction of the administrator are vested in the administrator, subject to the policies and in accordance with the principles adopted by the county board of supervisors.

46.21(3r)
(3r)Other powers and duties. The county board of supervisors may place under the jurisdiction of county entities not specified under this section the administrative and executive powers and duties of managing, operating, maintaining and improving institutions and departments or other responsibilities that are specified in sub. (2), including functions related to the central service departments and buildings and land used in connection with any institution under sub. (2).

46.21(4)
(4)Management personnel. The director may appoint personnel to manage the county department of human services and the administrator may appoint personnel to manage the county hospital, in accordance with ordinances of the county board of supervisors.

46.21(4m)(a)(a) The county hospitals and county sanatoriums of a county with a population of 500,000 or more shall be devoted to hospital service and the treatment of patients upon such terms and conditions as the county board of supervisors establishes. The hospitals and sanatoriums may be utilized for instruction of medical students, physicians and nurses and for scientific and clinical research that will promote the welfare of the patients and assist the application of science to the alleviation of human suffering.

46.21(4m)(b)
(b) Professional staff responsible for the care of patients under this subsection may submit bills for professional services under policies adopted by the county board of supervisors.

46.21(5)(a)(a) Any resident of this state, not indigent, may be received into an infirmary to be treated, cared for, and maintained upon such terms and conditions and at such rate of pay as may be established by the county board of supervisors; but indigent and destitute persons shall have preference in admission to and care in such institution.

46.21(6)
(6)Reports; expenditures. The director and the administrator shall submit annually to the county board of supervisors reports, including itemized statements of receipts and disbursements, at the times and in the manner that the county board of supervisors specifies and as are required to comply with applicable federal statutes and regulations and state statutes and rules. Disbursements shall be made in the manner that the county board of supervisors adopts, consistent with sound accounting and auditing procedure and with applicable federal statutes and regulations, state statutes and rules and requirements of the county auditor and county department of administration.

46.21(7)
(7)Applicability. Except as provided in s. 59.79 (10), this section does not apply, with respect to the county hospital under s. 49.71 (2), if the county board of supervisors acts under s. 59.79 (10).

46.21546.215
County department of social services in populous counties.

46.215(1)(1)Creation; powers and duties. In a county with a population of 500,000 or more the administration of welfare services is vested in a county department of social services under the jurisdiction of the county board of supervisors under s. 46.21 (2m) (b) 1. a. Any reference in any law to a county department of social services under this section applies to a county department under s. 46.21 (2m) in its administration under s. 46.21 (2m) of the powers and duties of the county department of social services. The county department of social services shall have the following functions, duties and powers, and such other welfare functions as may be delegated to it:

46.215(1)(a)
(a) To make investigations relating to relief or welfare administration and admissions to state, county and other institutions upon request of court, superintendent, district attorney, veterans' service commission or any other county official.

46.215(1)(b)
(b) To furnish services to families or persons other than the granting of financial or material aid where such services may prevent such families or persons from becoming public charges or restore them to a condition of self-support.

46.215(1)(c)
(c) To make certification or referral of eligibles for state or federal works or other assistance programs, eligibility for which is based on need, when designated to perform such certification or referral services.

46.215(1)(d)
(d) To make investigations that relate to services under subchs. II, IV and V of ch. 49 upon request by the department of health and family services, to make investigations that relate to juvenile delinquency-related services at the request of the department of corrections and to make investigations that relate to programs under subch. III of ch. 49 upon request by the department of industry, labor and job development.

46.215(1)(e)
(e) To maintain administrative and reporting relationships with all pertinent state departments.

46.215(1)(fm)
(fm) To administer relief funded by a relief block grant under ch. 49, if the county operates a program funded by a relief block grant under that chapter.

46.215(1)(g)
(g) To administer aid to families with dependent children under s. 49.19.

46.215(1)(h)
(h) To administer child welfare services under ss. 48.56 and 48.57 and juvenile welfare services under s. 938.57, to accept custody and guardianship of children upon the order of a competent court and to place children for adoption and to make recommendations relating to the adoption of children under s. 48.85.

46.215(1)(j)
(j) To make payments in such manner as the department of industry, labor and job development may determine for training of recipients, former recipients and potential recipients of aid in programs established under ss. 49.193 and 49.26 (1).

46.215(1)(k)
(k) Except as provided under sub. (1g), certify eligibility for and issue food coupons to needy households in conformity with the federal food stamp act of 1964 as amended, and, in addition, the county department of social services may certify eligibility for and distribute surplus commodities and food stuffs.

46.215(1)(L)
(L) Within the limits of available state and federal funds and of county funds appropriated to match state funds, to provide social services for persons eligible for or receiving benefits under the supplementary security income program under federal Title XVI, the supplemental payments program under s. 49.77 or aid to families with dependent children under s. 49.19.

46.215(1)(m)
(m) To administer the long-term support community options program under s. 46.27, if the county board of supervisors designates the county department of social services as the administrative agency.

46.215(1)(n)
(n) To collect and transmit information to the department of administration so that a federal energy assistance payment may be made to an eligible household; to collect and transmit information to the department of administration so that weatherization services may be made available to an eligible household; to receive applications from individuals seeking low-income energy assistance under s. 16.385 (4) or weatherization services under s. 16.39; to provide information on the income eligibility for weatherization of a recipient of low-income energy assistance to an entity with which the department of administration contracts for provision of weatherization under s. 16.39; and to receive a request, determine a correct payment amount, if any, and provide payment, if any, for emergency assistance under s. 16.385 (8).

46.215(1)(q)
(q) If the county board of supervisors establishes an integrated service program for children with severe disabilities under s. 59.53 (7), to participate in and administer an integrated service program for children with severe disabilities under s. 59.53 (7), including entering into any written interagency agreements or contracts.

46.215(1g)
(1g)Administration of food stamps for participants in Wisconsin works. The Wisconsin works agency, as defined in s. 49.001 (9), shall certify eligibility for and distribute food coupons under s. 49.143 (2) (e) to eligible participants in the Wisconsin works program under subch. III of ch. 49.

46.215(1m)
(1m)Exchange of information. Notwithstanding ss. 48.78 (2) (a), 49.45 (4), 49.83, 51.30, 51.45 (14) (a), 55.06 (17) (c), 146.82, 252.11 (7), 253.07 (3) (c) and 938.78 (2) (a), any subunit of the county department of social services acting under this section may exchange confidential information about a client, without the informed consent of the client, with any other subunit of the same county department of social services or with any person providing services to the client under a purchase of services contract with the county department of social services, if necessary to enable an employe or service provider to perform his or her duties, or to enable the county department of social services to coordinate the delivery of services to the client.

46.215 NoteNOTE: Sub. (1m) is shown as affected by three acts of the 1995 legislature and as merged by the revisor under s. 13.93 (2) (c).

46.215(2)(a)1.1. In order to ensure the availability of a full range of care and services, the county department of social services may contract, either directly or through the department of health and family services, with public or voluntary agencies or others to purchase, in full or in part, care and services, except as provided under subch. III of ch. 49 and s. 301.08 (2), which the county department of social services is authorized by any statute to furnish in any manner. This care and these services may be purchased from the department of health and family services if the department of health and family services has staff to furnish the care and services. If the county department of social services has adequate staff, it may sell the care and services directly to another county or state agency.

46.215(2)(a)2.
2. In order to ensure the availability of a full range of care and services, the county department of social services may contract, either directly or through the department of industry, labor and job development, with public or voluntary agencies or others to purchase, in full or in part, care and services under subch. III of ch. 49 which the county department of social services is authorized to furnish. This care and these services may be purchased from the department of industry, labor and job development if the department of industry, labor and job development has staff to furnish the services. If the county department of social services has adequate staff, it may sell the care and services directly to another county or state agency.

46.215(2)(a)3.
3. In order to ensure the availability of a full range of care and services, the county department of social services may contract, either directly or through the department of corrections, with public or voluntary agencies or others to purchase, in full or in part, juvenile delinquency-related care and services which the county department of social services is authorized by any statute to furnish in any manner. Such services may be purchased from the department of corrections if the department of corrections has staff to furnish the services. If the county department of social services has adequate staff, it may sell the care and services directly to another county or state agency.

46.215(2)(b)
(b) A county department of social services may purchase development and training services from the department of health and family services, from the department of industry, labor and job development, from the department of corrections or from other county agencies when the services are available. A county department of social services may sell the development and staff training services to another county or state agency if the county department has adequate staff to provide the services.

46.215(2)(c)1.1. A county department of social services shall develop, under the requirements of s. 46.036, plans and contracts for care and services to be purchased, except for care and services under subch. III of ch. 49 or s. 301.08 (2). The department of health and family services may review the contracts and approve them if they are consistent with s. 46.036 and if state or federal funds are available for such purposes. The joint committee on finance may require the department of health and family services to submit the contracts to the committee for review and approval. The department of health and family services may not make any payments to a county for programs included in a contract under review by the committee. The department of health and family services shall reimburse each county for the contracts from the appropriations under s. 20.435 (3) (oo)[, 1993 stats.,] and (7) (b) and (o) or under s. 20.435 (3) (cd), [1993 stats.,] as appropriate, under s. 46.495.

46.215(2)(c)2.
2. A county department of social services shall develop, under the requirements of s. 49.34, plans and contracts for care and services to be purchased under subch. III of ch. 49. The department of industry, labor and job development may review the contracts and approve them if they are consistent with s. 49.34 and if state or federal funds are available for such purposes. The joint committee on finance may require the department of industry, labor and job development to submit the contracts to the committee for review and approval. The department of industry, labor and job development may not make any payments to a county for programs included in a contract under review by the committee.

46.215(2)(c)3.
3. A county department of social services shall develop, under the requirements of s. 301.08 (2), plans and contracts for juvenile delinquency-related care and services to be purchased. The department of corrections may review the contracts and approve them if they are consistent with s. 301.08 (2) and if state or federal funds are available for such purposes. The joint committee on finance may require the department of corrections to submit the contracts to the committee for review and approval. The department of corrections may not make any payments to a county for programs included in a contract under review by the committee. The department of corrections shall reimburse each county for the contracts from the appropriations under s. 20.410 (3) (cd) and (oo) as appropriate.

46.215(3)
(3)Program budgets. The county department of social services shall submit a final budget to the department of health and family services under s. 46.031 (1), to the department of corrections under s. 301.031 (1) and to the department of industry, labor and job development under s. 49.325 (1), for authorized services.

46.215 Annotation
Counties have authority to provide the funding of services under s. 49.51 (3) (c), 1983 stats., [now 46.215 (2) (c)] on their own but are not required to do so when reimbursement is unavailable. 63 Atty. Gen. 584.

46.22(1)(a)(a)Creation. Except as provided under s. 46.23 (3) (b), the county board of supervisors of any county with a population of less than 500,000, or the county boards of 2 or more contiguous counties each with a population of less than 500,000, shall establish a county department of social services on a single-county or multicounty basis. The county department of social services shall consist of a county social services board, a county social services director and necessary personnel.

46.22(1)(am)
(am)Funding for multicounties. State social services funding under s. 20.435 (7) (b) is not available to counties which establish a multicounty department of social services until the counties have drafted a contractual agreement, approved by the secretary, setting forth the plans for direct sponsorship and have drafted a budget under par. (b) 1. d.

46.22(1)(b)1.1. The county department of social services shall have the following functions, duties and powers in accordance with the rules promulgated by the department of health and family services and subject to the supervision of the department of health and family services:

46.22(1)(b)1.a.
a. To maintain administrative and reporting relationships with all pertinent state departments.

46.22(1)(b)1.b.
b. To make investigations which relate to welfare services, except as provided under subch. III of ch. 49, upon request by the department of health and family services.

46.22(1)(b)1.c.
c. Within the limits of available state and federal funds and of county funds appropriated to match state funds, to provide social services for persons eligible for or receiving supplemental security aids under Title XVI of the social security act, eligible for or receiving state supplemental payments under s. 49.77 or eligible for or receiving aid to families with dependent children under s. 49.19.

46.22(1)(b)1.e.
e. To administer the long-term support community options program singly under s. 46.27 (3) (b) 1. or jointly under s. 46.27 (3) (b) 5., as designated by the county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county department of social services or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department of social services.